7 Wonderfully Weird Things to Do in Tokyo

Visit a Maid Cafe

Japan’s growing fetish culture, along with its love for cosplay (a phenomenon where die-hard fans dress up as their favorite anime and comic book characters), have birthed the “maid cafe”—an establishment where waitresses prance around in maid costumes and play personal servant to patrons as though they were in a private home. The ladies, often of a younger persuasion, affect cutesy voices and gestures while tending to customers, addressing them as “Master” and “Mistress.” Along with typical cafe fare, the menu is adorned with a variety of “alternative” services, ranging from spoon-feeding to ear cleaning. I went to chain Maidreamin in Tokyo’s Akihibara district, but the popularity of these cafes means that they can be found all around the city.